How can I make a keyboard shortcut for the ditto command in OSX Finder?

Question

The title should make it clear what I'm after but essentially I'd like a way to press command+some key to set up a ditto command for merging files and folders rather than obliterating and replacing them like command+C/command+V does.

How do you go about editing/viewing the keyboard commands and the terminal commands they map to?

Answer 1

You can do this by creating a Service using Automator that receives files and folders as input and is available in Finder. Add a Run Shell Script action that receives input as arguments and change the default script to a ditto call.

When you do it this way, you have no control over which directory is the src, and which is the target.

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Alternatively, open Automator, create a Service that receives selected folders in Finder and add a Run AppleScript action with the following script code:

on run {input, parameters}
    set dest to choose folder with prompt "Select destination:"
    set dest_path to (POSIX path of dest) as text
    set src_paths to ""
    repeat with idx from 1 to count (input)
        set src_paths to src_paths & (quoted form of (POSIX path of item idx of input as text)) & " "
    end repeat
    set cmd to "ditto " & src_paths & quoted form of dest_path
    do shell script cmd
end run

What this does: It will take your selection in Finder as source folders, prompt for a destination folder. and then execute

ditto src1 src2 src3 srcn dest

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Save, and assign a keyboard shortcut in System Preferences » Keyboard » Keyboard Shortcuts » Services. Look for your service in the "Files and Folders" category and click to its right. Then you can press your desired shortcut.